void exists in all dimensions (but then again, so does friendship)
by FierySprites
Summary: In which Walpurgisnacht is mysteriously vanquished before she can arrive at Mitakihara, but Homura discovers she's only traded one Destroyer of Worlds for another. (Are things really as hopeless as they may seem, though?) [PMMM & Star Allies Spoilers]
1. chaos descends, but you'll be okay

**void exists in all dimensions (but then again, so does friendship)**

_**Chapter 1  
**__chaos descends, but you'll be okay_

(Uploaded on September 26, 2019)

* * *

**Summary:** _"Hatred, obsession, jealousy, greed… The darkness gathered by Hyness has transformed into a corrupt power within Void Termina that conflicts with his newly forged soul. Chaos descends, but… you'll be OK. _

"_**The Star Allies have your back!"**_

**Notes:** This chapter is set during Episode 11 of _Puella Magi Madoka Magica,_ at the same time the climax of _Kirby Star Allies_ is occurring. Massive spoilers for both series are featured; it is best to have experienced them for yourself prior to reading this fic.

This fic is not canon to the **Make a Friend** 'verse.

* * *

•

_All alone, she suffers through an __endless__ recursion of eternity._

•

* * *

**[Homura]**

**Homura's Apartment – Living Room**

"Walpurgisnacht is gone."

That statement threw me for a loop.

I shot up in my seat, shooting a look of unbridled shock straight at Kyubey. The Incubator, standing in front of the shadows around my house, looked as innocent as could be, seeming utterly unconcerned with the revelation he'd casually thrown my way.

"What did you just say?" I hissed.

"Didn't you hear me the first time?" he said, tilting his head. "Walpurgisnacht's gone. She's been defeated. She's not coming to Mitakihara—not anymore. Something greater than her took her out—and it's coming in her stead."

"…that's not possible," I replied, _very_ unamused. "Nobody can simply _defeat_ her, just like that. Nobody." I clenched my hands into fists. "…I wouldn't be doing this if it were that easy."

I've been trying for dozens of timelines to do that exact thing; to escape this endless maze with Madoka still alive and away from danger. Month after month, I find myself back in this exact situation, alone or otherwise, throwing everything I have against the almighty Queen of Witches—and yet, my battles almost invariably end in the same way: with Madoka becoming a Magical Girl, and then a world-consuming Witch, and me being forced to go back.

I still pray to reach that perfect resolution, but that doesn't mean I'll give myself false hope in the process.

"…how do I know this isn't you trying to lower my guard?" I cautiously asked. "Get me to make a mistake in my movements—" _just like what happened to Mami_ "—so Madoka has more reason to contract with you?"

"I don't have a reason to lie to you," the Incubator answered. "Not at this stage, anyway. Even if Walpurgisnacht was still here, it wouldn't change a thing. You'll still fight, and you still won't win—not without Madoka's help, at least."

Well… I can't say there isn't _some_ point to his claims.

Twist the truth, omit important details, manipulate others' emotions—Kyubey will repeat these traits over and over again, without a single regret. I… I know that fact all too well. (Madoka, Sayaka, Mami, Kyoko… he'll twist their hearts to his advantage, each and every reprise. And it always, _always _hurts, each and every time it happens.) But if there was one thing the Incubator would never, ever do… it was outright _lie,_ even when it'd be beneficial to his cause.

…the thought didn't comfort me in the slightest.

"Enough," I finally interjected, steeling my face in well-worn determination. "I've heard all I need to know. If Walpurgisnacht really has fallen, then that means whoever's coming—whoever it is that has the power to eliminate her—_they_ can fall too. And that means my chances of success are higher than ever." I crossed my arms. "…I may be alone, but… I'm more than capable of seeing this through to the end."

_Things have to be that way. It __**has**__ to._

_I won't let Madoka contract. I __**can't**__ let her._

_I have to save her, no matter what the cost._

…_and I may never get another opportunity like this again._

Kyubey shook his head. "You humans, always convincing yourself that there's hope, always throwing yourself into impossible situations… I don't understand why you choose to put yourself through this, Homura Akemi." If he could shrug, something tells me he would, despite his lack of empathy. "If you still insist on fighting, however, it won't matter if you know this information or not – so I might as well tell you.

"This foe… he's completely out of this galaxy, far away from anything you and I have ever seen before. In fact, us Incubators believed him to be a myth for the longest time." Oh? Something even you don't know? "There are scrolls from a civilization long gone, describing a '**Dark Lord of Despair**' with powers that could surpass entropy, doubly serving as the origin of all chaotic possibilities. He was sealed long ago—but now that he's free, there's no telling what he'll do to this planet. Nothing short of a miracle will be able to stop him. Like it or not, that's the truth."

"I'll be the judge of that." I turned away from him and instead toward the maps I had laid out on the table; it was best to reanalyze what battle plans I need to have on hand, in light of this new, mysterious enemy. "If you don't have any other reason to be here, then leave," I bluntly told him. "I have to focus on getting ready for tomorrow, and you're a distraction I'd be happy to rid myself of." _With bullets. Lots and lots of bullets._

"Very well. Don't say I didn't warn you." With a swish of his tail, the alien lifeform retreated out of my house.

A blissful silence filled the room. I closed my eyes, counted up to ten—just to make sure he really _was_ gone—and once I was reasonably confident in that fact… I threw myself into my (admittedly last-minute) preparations, hope springing anew from within my hardened heart.

Everything I've seen, everything I've long carried with me… it's all been leading up to this.

This time, I won't make any mistakes, or stumble for even a second.

This time, I'll find the exit to this harrowing maze of life.

This time…

…**I'll protect Madoka, just like she protected me!**

(That's the promise I made to her… and I swear, I won't let her down now!)

* * *

•

_Again and again, she stands and fights on, facing a fate she can never escape from._

_Again and again, she strives to subvert a ruined future, for the sake of the friend she loves so dearly._

•

* * *

**Mitakihara City  
Riverside Streets**

…it was time.

A great thunderstorm was raging over Mitakihara, presumably an after-effect of Walpurgisnacht's ability to cause atmospheric havoc. I stood in the middle of the city, gazing stoically above at the impending chaos, just as I had for so many different timelines in the past.

Idly flipping back my hair (it's a bit of a comforting reflex, at this point), I hopped over the river in front of me and made my way forward, passing several buildings by as I steadily approached an open clearing in the city. Lightning crashed down from the sky with every step I took, accompanied appropriately (and quickly) by booms as thunderous as any Witch.

Loud though it may be, it didn't deter me at all.

Unlike what normally happens when the Queen of Witches makes herself known, there were no skyscrapers being lifted from the sky, no parade of Familiars roaming the streets. The dread in the air, however, remained as heavy as ever – in fact, it was growing more and more menacing by the second. Slowly, but surely, the situation escalated to something of a tipping point—

…and suddenly, the ground began to shake from a tremendous weight.

_**Thud! Thud! Thud!**__—_the footsteps of a titan echoed far and wide, steadily closing in on the town Madoka calls home. I had no doubt that they belonged to the adversary I had tasked myself with defeating. I stood unfazed by this indication of its threat level, waiting patiently for the moment I could begin my assault.

An eternity seemed to pass before that moment felt like arriving. My anticipation swelled and swelled, though I did my best to keep it hidden beneath my façade.

_What are you waiting for?_ I thought, contempt running through my head. _Let's get this over with—so I can end this cycle once and for all._

…

…

…

At last, it came into sight.

True to my suspicions, my enemy was no slouch: he was an enormous muscled humanoid, with skin as black as despair and unknown sigils glowing brightly against it. A heart-shaped, beaked mask rested against his face and feathery mane, and his ornate equipment—golden banners, golden armor, golden gauntlets—radiated with power beyond almost anything I could ever imagine.

Like Kyubey implied… this was certainly no Witch.

Destroyer of Worlds  
**Void Termina**

I narrowed my eyes as its name and its title floated into my mind, not dissimilar to what a veteran Magical Girl would see upon facing a Witch in her Barrier.

…_a Destroyer of Worlds, huh?_

_**Not on my watch.**_

The beast closed his massive fists, bent over and shook rather violently—and then, he unleashed an unholy, monstrous roar, as if in defiance of my presence.

In response, I transformed into my Magical Girl outfit, my Soul Gem becoming a brooch on the back of my hand, my faithful shield once more attached to my arm.

There were no words that needed to be exchanged.

I had my self-imposed mission, and he had his.

Only one person would come out on top of this fight—

—and I was going to make sure said person would be me.

I glared silently at him, determination going up and down my veins.

This is it. The end of the road.

_Let's do this._

_For Madoka._

* * *

•

_Again and again, she'll rise up to defend her happiness, continue shielding her light from the monsters that come to leave them destroyed._

_But for as hard as she may try… strength, with little else to support it, is never enough to overcome an ever-present tempest._

•

* * *

Void Termina was the first of us to take action.

He pounded the ground, first with his left gauntlet, and shortly afterward his right. Cobblestone tore apart as he dug his fists in deep, three high-reaching flare pillars each erupting from the impact and arcing slowly toward my position. I pushed magic into my feet and jumped away, grabbing a rocket launcher from my shield and firing it at the titan.

The explosion that resulted seemed to have no effect; it took me little time to deduce that his skin was too thick for any minor attack to penetrate it.

_Ugh!_ I hissed._ Can't be easy, can it?_

_How am I supposed to deal damage with __**this**__ in the way…!?_

_(It's like I'm still facing Walpurgisnacht…!)_

Suddenly, to my surprise, a demonic-looking eyeball on a medallion materialized on his chest, its gaze oddly centered on me. Inquisitively, I fired another rocket, this time aiming at the eye specifically. It promptly wriggled about in pain from the attack, expelling these red-and-purple particles in the process.

A smirk threatened to appear on my lips.

_Problem solved._

The so-called Dark Lord of Despair wasn't _too_ affected by the hit—but perhaps if the medallion was destroyed entirely, it'd have a much larger effect on its stamina.

It pounded the floor once more with both of its fists, spawning a greater quantity of flare pillars for me to dodge. I made my way to the top of a nearby building in response—an easy feat, given the massive gap in our movement speeds—and stopped time with my shield.

A bevy of single-shot rocket launchers subsequently came down in a circle around me, and I proceeded to fire each and every one of them at my current target, small though it may be. As soon as all of the projectiles were frozen mid-flight, I let time resume its normal course, and red and orange temporarily lit up the night sky.

True to form (as he who can rival my most persistent foe), it wasn't enough: the eye medallion remained on Void Termina's chest. However, I _did_ notice the sclera was substantially more red than it was previously; the yellow iris similarly was opening up more. It can take a good deal of punishment, it seems, but that only goes so far.

Rather than more rockets, I opted to bring out a machine gun and shoot as many bullets at it as possible, while still maneuvering around the rather cumbersome attacks it was throwing at me. Compared to the Queen of Witches, this was child's play – for a few brief minutes, I dared to believe that this was all I'd need to do; dodge and strike hard, for as long as it took.

Dozens upon dozens of bullets later, the first eye shattered into pieces, and the great titan actually recoiled from its destruction. Just as soon as it had disappeared, though, a second medallion appeared on its left shoulder, blinking and taunting me in the same way Walpurgisnacht's laugh did.

I grit my teeth.

_So be it._

Our clash continued for several long minutes—I'd wager at some point, it had reached the half-hour mark. I kept battering away at each of Void Termina's weak points with all the ammunition I had acquired, halting time whenever I needed to (which turned out to be more than I was comfortable with); he, in turn, ramped up his offensive and began actively wrecking the city as we fought, likely hoping to end me by proxy of massive debris. In fact, with each eye I took out, he learned a new attack to use from his increasingly more dangerous repertoire.

First, he gained the ability to jump high and cause shockwaves to appear; next, he could summon two swords and create ranged beams with them; finally, elements could be infused into their blades… and what's worse, he was gradually gaining an understanding on how to apply them appropriately to combat. I wasn't under any delusion that I could stand up to any of his attacks, and I attempted to accommodate for these additions as best as I could – but it was becoming a very delicate balancing act.

If I could hold out long enough, however, survive all the close shaves I was getting… then I could make it. _I could make it._

Whatever it takes, I _have_ to make this loop the last one. There's no other possibility I can accept!

Please—_please…!_

Let me have this one dream…!

…

…but then…

…I ran out of time. Literally.

The sand running through my shield—the resource that allows me to stop the clocks temporarily—I found it entirely depleted at the last minute.

My eyes widened. I frantically looked up.

My brief hesitation cost me.

"Oh no…!"

Void Termina had picked up a fallen building, and he was throwing it at me at a breakneck speed. I scrambled to get away, but without being able to put the world into stasis…

I… _I…! __**I…!**_

…

The skyscraper struck, and I was sent spiraling to the ground.

* * *

•

_Destiny can only be defied for so long by sheer willpower alone, before reality makes all your efforts collapse back on itself—_

—_and then, you find yourself right back at the beginning, in a cycle of despair leading only to a nonexistent tomorrow._

•

* * *

A dull ache made its way through my body. Blood coolly trickled down from my forehead over my face—not to mention, my leg felt considerably weaker than it had been prior. Grimacing and breathing heavily, I brought my head up to see what had happened. I found…

…I found my leg trapped beneath a large chunk of debris, with a pool of blood slowly streaming out onto the floor.

I tried to move, to do _anything_ in order to keep on fighting – but my lower body refused to come out. And even if it did, my stamina reserves had since run dry; likewise, my supply of military weapons was close to being depleted. I had put every ounce of energy I had into this last stand, hoping against hope that Void Termina would be my final adversary—

…and in a twisted sort of way, that may end up being true after all.

The Destroyer of Worlds was slowly stomping in my direction. He was far from me at this given moment, but with me being incapacitated, it didn't matter how long it took for him to get to me—he had me dead to rights however you looked at it.

"Why… Why…!?" I cried. "Why can't I ever win…!? Even when Walpurgisnacht is gone, even when I've been given the best chance I'll ever have… no matter how many times I try, I always… I always…!

"…_I always fail."_

Bar a miracle happening, there was only one choice I could make here: twist my shield and repeat the month, just like the other God knows how many times. It was either that… or watch Madoka—and by proxy, the world—be consumed by darkness, all for the sake of some _dumb_ scheme to delay entropy.

I started going through the motions, but paused halfway through turning it.

'_Say, Homura? Could it be Madoka's potential to become the most powerful Magical Girl is __**because**__ you kept turning back time?'_

…what was the point?

If I go back again, I'll only make Madoka's destiny worse.

Kyubey said that due to my wish, I've only ended up adding to Madoka's karmic potential. Timeline after timeline, it keeps growing and growing; my wish is centered around her and her alone, so the well of magic she has keeps jumping forward and wrapping back around her every time I reverse the clock.

So everything I've done… everything I've tried to do…

…it was… all for nothing.

And the worst part is, it's _my_ fault this whole situation even happened. It's my fault the whole world will die as a result of my actions. The world that Madoka loves…

A wave of despair washed over me. I could feel my Soul Gem darkening by the second… but I couldn't bring myself to resist it any longer. Even as Void Termina's footsteps grew louder and louder and raindrops steadily fell from the clouds up high, I just closed my eyes, and… accepted my fate.

Tears ran down my face.

This is it. This is how it ends.

…this is how everything ends.

…

_I'm so sorry, Madoka…_

…

…

…

* * *

•

_Nobody ever said, though, that the burdens of the world had to be shouldered by only a single person._

•

* * *

Someone clasped my hand in theirs.

I abruptly opened my eyes.

Lightning crashed from the sky.

I shifted my head to the left.

I knew who I'd see.

"…it's okay now," Madoka said to me. With a handkerchief in hand, she wiped the blood off of my face, while still wearing that warm, perfect smile. "You've done more than enough, Homura."

Madoka was here.

Kind, selfless, forever hopeful Madoka…

Once again, she's here with me.

Every timeline, she comes to me.

Every timeline…

"Madoka…" I whispered.

_How can she always be like that, even when things get so bad…?_

…

"So—the legends _are_ true."

Unfortunately… as much as I wish she did… Madoka didn't come by herself.

Kyubey was right beside her, staring at the approaching Destroyer of Worlds with something close to awe. In the distance, said Destroyer was off destroying buildings at random as he gradually trudged toward our positions.

"**Void Termina**, the feared Dark Lord of Despair, come to this planet to wreak havoc…" he said. "He really is greater than any Witch us Incubators could ever devise. Even more fascinating are the **five souls** he has within him—it's a shame we can't swayed to our side or help stop the heat death of the universe, the way he is now. If we were able to harness the latent power within him…"

He shook his head, seeming almost disappointed. "Oh well. There's no use thinking in what-ifs." Tail swishing back and forth, Kyubey turned to Madoka, empty eyes waiting expectantly. "Madoka Kaname—you know what has to be done now, correct?"

_No… __**No…!**_

"Please don't…" I desperately breathed, attempting to push myself up—and slumping back down from the pain it caused. "Please don't, Madoka…! You—You know what'll happen! I—I can still do this…! My efforts aren't in vain! I—I can't… I can't watch you… _w-watch you…!"_

…

…_I can't watch you die again._

Madoka didn't reply. Not to my plea, not to the Incubator. She simply sat next to me and continued to smile.

"You've been alone for a long time, haven't you, Homura?" she asked, unaffected by the storm thundering above us. "Again and again, you keep going back for me, endlessly trying to change my fate for the better. And you've done it all by yourself, keeping yourself together despite how you've seen me and Sayaka and Mami and Kyoko die so much. You've fought so hard to secure my future, never thinking about your own feelings, or how much pain you're carrying with you."

I lowered my face, flashes of memories from various timelines coming back to me. The first time Madoka saved me, my discovery of the truth behind the Magical Girl system, Mami going mad with grief and trying to kill us, the promise I made to Madoka—

…it's been so long since I undertook my journey, and yet… the sorrow from each and every failure—especially from the beginning—is still so very real.

"You've always tried to protect me, but I can tell you need someone on _your_ side, too." She turned to look at me, eyes glimmering with the resolve I knew so well. "So let me be that someone, Homura. Let me alleviate your suffering, at least a little bit. Sayaka, and Mami, and Kyoko—they may not have agreed with you all the time, but I know they'd still want you to have that. Because… even if they believe they're okay without 'em…

"…everyone needs a friend they can rely on."

…I was outright staring at Madoka at this point. Kyubey was, too; his head was tilted in curiosity. "When did you…" I coughed. "When did you become so… so wise?"

"Part of it has to do with everything you've given me. The rest, though…" She scratched the back of her head cutely. "I, uh, I had this dream about this pink ball guy, and… I guess I got kinda inspired by him. It's kinda dumb, but… I think it means a lot. D-Don't you think so too, Homura?"

…

"…yeah. It is."

I can't really say she's wrong.

She's never wrong, with stuff like this.

…I miss being friends with Sayaka Miki.

I miss being cordial with Mami Tomoe.

I even miss having to deal with Kyoko Sakura.

But most of all… I miss being able to spend time with Madoka and everyone else, without any worries.

Once upon a time, I would've strived to keep the others alive. In the end, though, I could never find a path forward because they either died prematurely or succumbed to grief, every time. I may have hardened my heart, broken my connections with them, but… Madoka's words make me wonder. If—if I had tried a little harder… could…

…could they be alive here with me?

Alive and happy with me and Madoka…?

…

…

Madoka got up.

"Well," she said, "it's time."

Hopelessly, I looked up.

The devastation was getting uncomfortably close.

I… I can't stop her, can I?

Maybe… Maybe I was never meant to.

She's the heroine. She's always been the heroine.

If this is what she feels like she has to do, then…

Just this once, I shouldn't hold her back.

…

Madoka… Sayaka… Mami… Kyoko…

I—I know this won't mean much, not at this stage, but…

…I'm sorry.

I'm sorry I didn't save you all.

I'm sorry I failed each of you so hard.

I'm sorry I… wasn't a better friend.

* * *

•

_The weight of your struggles may become too much to bear at times, but that doesn't mean you need to give up hope._

_If you can find it within yourself to reach out and share your heart with somebody else—reach out even though you're afraid to trust again—then there's no reason you can't rise up to the highest of all of the heavens._

_Reality isn't perfect, sure, and it never fully moves in the direction we want it to. We're forever at risk riding this chaotic and uncontrollable emotional rollercoaster—but in the end, we never really give up on ourselves… or on others. _

_And maybe losing people is part of life. Maybe it's just another factor of our existence we simply have to accept. But that doesn't mean we should ever stop letting them in—letting __**friends**__ in._

_So long as you never stop believing in yourself and your companions, no matter how far away they are…_

…_there'll always be a miracle that'll never fade, that'll forever shine even in the darkest of nights._

…

…_it's not over yet, Homura. Stand up._

_Despite what things may seem… __**you're not alone.**_

•

* * *

"So. Madoka Kaname," Kyubey began, ready to ask the question I hated so much. "What is the wish that will make your Soul Gem shi—?"

_SCHING!_

_Wh-What the—!?_

Out of nowhere, something swooped in and—despite my being trapped under a rock—carted me and Madoka into the air. Wind blew past my face, my arms flailed about wildly, _why are we flying has Void Termina gotten us is Madoka okay is she hurt in any way what'sgoingonIdon'teven—!_

"Wow, Transfer Student—I've never seen you so flustered before! Guess you really _do_ have emotions beneath that blank face of yours."

…

…

_Huh?_

"Tch! I pull off my big sacrifice and things go to hell without me. For all your badassery, you sure are helpless without us!"

_S-Sayaka? __**Kyoko?**_

"To be fair, she did well to hold out against Void Termina for this long. He may not be Walpurgisnacht, but he is clearly not to be trifled with."

…_Mami?_

Th-This—This should be impossible. It _is_ impossible.

Magical Girls… once we die or turn into a Witch, there's no going back. There's no magic resurrection spell or sudden revival potion or anything that can change that fact. And yet… here we are, riding this star-shaped vehicle, with yellow-rimmed Pegasus wings flapping on the sides, and a multicolored rainbow trail flowing from behind it. Here they are, Sayaka and Kyoko and Mami, smiling at me as if nothing ever happened—smiling like it's my first few timelines all over again.

Madoka broke out into a smile, her initial shock fading away in record time. "Sayaka! Kyoko! Mami! _You're alive!"_

"But… how?" I asked, utterly flabbergasted. "H-How did you come back…? I mean, you three—you all…"

_had your head chomped off—_

_violently transformed into a Witch—_

_sacrificed yourself for Sayaka's sake—_

"…you all died. I—I saw it happen." _So many more times than you might think._

Mami gave off a sad smile. "I can't blame you for thinking that, Homura," she acknowledged. "Honestly, I didn't expect that any of this would transpire, either." A shaky hand briefly rose toward her neck before she willed it back down. (If I hadn't been through so much trauma already, I think I'd react in the same way.) "…it's something I'm definitely never gonna forget."

"Tell me about it," Sayaka sighed, her features noticeably more relaxed than when I saw them last, though still a bit exasperated. "Our world keeps getting turned upside down every single day! First you think you understand something perfectly, and then it turns out you _don't,_ and then you end up questioning stuff like your own sexuality and what it means to be a friend and how big a crush you can have on—"

"Ooooookay, that's a little too much information!" Kyoko interrupted her with a blush—_do I want to know…?_ "S-Seriously, Sayaka, at—at least stay focused! We're supposed to be doin' Kirby's 'save-the-universe' crap, remember?"

Madoka giggled, bending over to give Sayaka and Kyoko a hug (Mami was too far away; she was in the driver's seat). "Omigosh… It really _is_ you guys!" she cheered. "It's—It's a real miracle!"

"Whoa, Madoka! You don't need to be so cuddly, now!"

"H-H-H-H-Hey! What the heck!? S-Stop that, Madoka!"

I'm a bit ashamed to admit this, but I'm… actually starting to tear up. I thought I'd lost most of my humanity going through this endless time loop, to the point where I couldn't connect with anyone anymore. Here and now, though, when a perfect happy ending's actually in reach… everything I've bottled up is finally coming undone.

Initially it was just little drops that were following, but it soon escalated to waterworks freely flowing down my cheeks, myself no longer to hold any kind of stoic expression. "I… I… I can't… believe it…" I sniffled, my voice choking from the crying. "A-After everything—_everything_ I've done and gone through—this… this really is almost… unbelievable. If I—If I close my eyes, will… will all of this simply be a dream…?"

Out of the corner of my vision, each of the three Magical Girls looked startled by my breakdown.

Sayaka was the first to speak up. "…hey, Transfer Student. I… I know we haven't really gotten along, but… are you okay?"

Kyoko promptly elbowed her. "Of course she's not okay, Sayaka, look at her!"

"Well _excuse me_ for trying to be polite!"

Mami blinked, suddenly a little uncomfortable. "…oh," she said, her tone emitting that of realization. "You're… You're lonely too, aren't you?" I didn't have it in me to hide my little flinch anymore. "I mistook you for hostile and self-centered, when you're actually hiding all your emotions inside."

_Just like me,_ went unsaid.

"I should've seen it from the start," she lamented in retrospect. "I know what it's like to be isolated more than anyone."

"It's not your fault," I replied, my volume low. "It's mine. I… I stopped being concerned about how I came off to others a long time ago, or about having the chance for any real companionship. Better cold and uncaring than continuously hurting and hoping for something different." I looked away, so everyone wouldn't have to see more of the worthless girl I truly am. "…it's no excuse, I know. As much as I'd want us to reconcile, I'd… perfectly understand if we stopped associating with each other after this."

…that'd be alright. I mean, I've made so many mistakes, and driven each of my former friends away countless times, this timeline included.

No matter how much I want to be with Madoka… it'd probably for the best if I just got out of their lives.

"All I ever do is… mess things up, anyway. No matter what I do, I'll… I'll always be a… good-for-nothing freak."

"That's not true," the veteran Magical Girl stated firmly. "Your methods of going about things weren't perfect, but you still held out longer than any of us did. Without you, we wouldn't be where we are today."

"But I still needed you all to come and save me. You _and_ Madoka. I can't do _anything_ by myself right—so what's the point of me even sticking around?"

"Look, Transfer Student—if there's anything I've learned from the past week-and-a-half," Sayaka cut in _(week-and-a-half? But… she and Kyoko died only a few days ago…), _"it's that you shouldn't give up on people, 'cause there's a friend to be found in everybody! It took me a while to learn that, but I _did _learn it!"

"She's got _that_ right, at least!" Kyoko chimed in, chomping on another stick of Pocky as usual. ("Hey!") "Sheesh, I get that you've got a depressing backstory or whatever, but honestly, what you just said is a crock of bullshit. I wouldn't have said this several weeks ago, but we're not gonna be letting you go now, not after everything! You're a part of our 'lil group—you think that ain't important?"

"I told you before, Homura!" Madoka determinedly nodded. "I wanna be on your side! Me and everyone else! Even if you try to push us away, we'll still be your friends—and nothing can change that! And that's…** That's our promise to you!"**

…

You four… you're always worming your way into my weary heart, aren't you? No matter how hard I try to cast away our fragile bonds… I keep coming back to you, every time.

In this world of deceit and despair, with the Incubators haunting just about any girl with their honeyed lies, I believed there wasn't any use praying for a miracle. Kyubey seemed able to manipulate others toward a path most optimal for his plans; to predict each and every twist and turn before they're even made. All you could really do—all_ I_ could really do—was adapt to the hand they gave you—

…until now.

Things have changed. Dramatically changed. Void Termina, star gliders; nothing's the same anymore. And that means that I… that I can actually dare to dream again. Dare to dream of a miracle that could surpass any of my expectations.

I can do it with everyone at my side, braving the unknown in all of its fearsome glory.

…and they'll accept me unconditionally, even though they've seen my faults take center stage.

If they really believe in me—if this is the road they're willing to pave for me—

—then one last time, I'll let myself have faith in my heart.

Faith in… my friends.

"…okay," I said, a heartfelt smile coming to my face for the first time in a long time. "Okay. Th-Thank you, everyone. I—I won't let you down. Not again."

"We'll hold you to that, Transfer Student!"

With that settled, Mami steered us back around to face Void Termina. Four other groups in similar vehicles to ours were circling around the Destroyer of Worlds, dancing around his attacks as they fired off these star bullets at the eyeball resting on his back.

_My heart's racing on, 'cause I wanna see the future~!  
And in my dreams, I see it with you_

Our mission was clear, and so was our way forward.

I could feel the corruption in my Soul Gem drain away, thanks to whatever light magic was sustaining this vehicle (a **Friend Star**, my mind supplied me); the virtual hourglass in my shield was replenished in full as well.

This is it. The end of the road.

_The road ahead, I know that it won't be easy  
But I'll fight through!_

"Yeesh, that is one seriously ugly freak," Kyoko grimaced. "He sure lives up to his title of… whatever the hell it was his title happened to be."

"That's just one more reason to bring 'im down!" Sayaka declared. "We're not gonna let him terrorize our home any longer—because we're heroes of justice, and that's what we do!"

"A bit too cheesy for my tastes, but… I guess I can't really disagree with ya." Just barely audible, the redhead muttered, _"Oi… I've really gone soft…"_

_That blue sky above, I know it'll always wait—for—me!  
So there is no reason to be afraid_

"Looks like our course is clear!" Mami decided, ready to dive in and renew my earlier assault. "This foe is going to be a tough one, and there's no telling what he still has left up his sleeve. We can't afford to underestimate him." She looked behind her shoulder at us, her elegant persona firmly in place (and even looking "You ready, girls?"

I nodded, my determination restored. "We're prepared to put an end to this nightmare, once and for all."

"What Homura said!" Madoka exclaimed. "C'mon, Mami, let's do this—_**together!"**_

Sayaka and Kyoko gave similar cries of agreement.

'_Cause the light inside my heart—_

"Alright, then," she smiled, no traces of fear in her expression, a surefire focus blazing in her gaze. (The same could be said of the rest of us, as well.)** "Here we go!"**

And so, we blasted off into the battlefield, our rainbow trail humming and glimmering in the dark of night.

—_**will never fade!**_

* * *

_Mami Tomoe, Sayaka Miki, and Kyoko Sakura were supposed to have departed from life. These other intruders had no need to become associated with either them or the Incubators' efforts on Earth._

_This was an anomaly, one unlike any other he had ever seen in his entire existence. _

_And that wasn't even mentioning that pink puffball's karmic potential, which rivaled that of Madoka Kaname—a fact that was positively unheard of, especially given his inability to contract._

_Everything was spiraling out of control, and the outcome was likely to be one that hindered the Incubator's cause of stopping entropy._

_Kyubey stared into the sky, his red, beady eyes unblinking._

…I don't understand this at all,_ he thought._

* * *

**Finished watching **_**Puella Magi Madoka Magica**_** last week. Felt like writing something to celebrate.**

**(The lyrics at the end are taken from AmaLee's cover of **_**Connect**__**,**_** the opening theme for PMMM.)**

**The worlds of both **_**Kirby**_** and**_** Madoka Magica**_** would fit so well together. I mean, both series have predominantly pink protagonists with literally infinite power facing off against Eldritch Abominations alongside allies and friends. It's a shame there's not a whole lotta works crossing them over.**

**But hey, since I'm basically the premiere **_**Kirby**_** writer 'round these parts, I'm able to alleviate this sadness upon our hearts – at least a little! **

**Of course, I couldn't cross over these two properties without attaching **_**some**_** level of heartwarming fluff to it. And thanks to the Dream Palaces being canonically established to bring back the dead (see Marx, and to a lesser extent, Dark Meta Knight), I knew **_**exactly**_** what I had to do with this scenario…**

**If you're wondering how a week-and-a-half passed for the Magical Girls-turned-Dream Friends when Kyoko's sacrifice and Walpurgisnacht's arrival are two days apart… eh, just chalk it up to time and space being wonky. Miracle magic does that, sometimes. Besides, I can't argue with the results: the Star Allies and the Holy Quintet being able to battle Void Termina together… it's like a dream come true, honestly!**

**And it's all thanks to the almighty **Power of Friendship** managing to rise above all despair! **

_**Yay, friendship!**_

**(…now that I think about it, a lot of my one-shots seem to follow a formula similar to the one this chapter uses. Maybe I should start diversifying a bit…)**

**Well, that's all for now! Originally, this chapter was going to have Madoka and Homura interacting with Kirby, plus Madoka activating her own Miracle Magic™, but things ran a bit long – so I'll save that for next chapter. See you then!**


	2. nobody ever gets by without a friend

**void exists in all dimensions (but then again, so does friendship)**

_**Chapter 2  
**__no one ever gets by without a friend_

(Uploaded on October 16, 2019)

* * *

**Summary:** Sometimes, salvation can come from the most unlikely of places.

Pop Star has long since been the origin of fantastic miracles; it's only natural that such a world would attract another full of its own miracles and curses. A second chance is the least that can be gifted to those who wish for the former, given the circumstances by which despair reigns over their heads…

…and so, Mami Tomoe, veteran Magical Girl of Mitakihara, was gladly welcomed into the ranks of the Star Allies.

**Notes:** This chapter is set during the main campaign of _Kirby Star Allies—_specifically, while the Star Allies are traversing through the third world, **Jambastion**. _Madoka Magica-_wise, Mami is brought back as a Dream Friend approximately two weeks prior to Walpurgisnacht's scheduled appearance.

* * *

"_Hearts are made of the people we meet, and how we feel about them—they're what ties us together, even when we're apart! They're what… make me strong."_

– Sora, _Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance]_

* * *

_I'm on top of the world._

_My Soul Gem blazing brightly, I summoned a musket and tipped over the chair where the Witch—an odd-looking pink doll, wearing a black scarf with red polka-dots—just so happened to be sitting. Once it was in my range, I batted it into the wall and blasted it hard with musket after musket, a smile never leaving my face as I did._

_Elegantly, I trounced my foe with exquisite use of my skillset, dancing around it as I did its horde of Familiars from earlier in the Labyrinth. Eventually, I set it to be stationary in the air, holding it in place with my ribbons as I prepared to deal the final blow._

_I… I feel so light._

_This is the first time I've felt so happy during battle._

_The conversation I had with Madoka minutes earlier continued to echo inside my head._

'I just pretend to be cool. When I'm scared or hurt, there's no one I can talk to. All I can do is cry on my own. It's not fun… being a Magical Girl.'

'…I hear you, Mami. But you're not alone anymore.'

'…you're right. I'm not alone.'_ (I clasped Madoka's hand.)_ 'I've found someone who's willing to stand and fight by my side from now on. Will you really stay with me…?'

'Yes, if someone like me will do.'

_Madoka Kaname… Sayaka Miki…_

_You two are the best friends a girl like me could ask for._

_We haven't known each other that long, but… I know there's nowhere else I'd rather be right now except here, with you._

_And so long as I'm around, I won't let anything happen to you._

_('Cause for the first time in forever, I've got something to fight for.)_

_I'm no longer alone. And that means…_

_I don't have to be afraid of anything anymore._

"Yeah! Go, Mami!"

_I transformed my shotgun into an enormous cannon, and—as I've done for many Witches like this one—fired with all of my might, saying—_

"**TIRO FINALE!"**

_The blast went straight through its body—but abruptly, it—it—_

_When did it get so huge; why does it look so much more threatening!?_

_Rainbow eyes, red and blue ears, its suddenly long body's snaking toward me—_

_I don't understand, was it deceiving me this whole time—!?_

_It's opening its mouth, _those teeth are so **sharp,**_ why can't I do anything,_ **why won't my body move—!?**

Please, not like this, **not like this—!**

_**CHOMP!**_

* * *

…

…

…

…

…

…_where…_

…_where… am I…?_

_What… _happened_ to me…?_

…

…_oh. That's right._

_I died._

…_I _failed.

_I got too careless, too reckless—too _happy_ over having another friend in my life._

_So I… I let my guard down._

_And now I'm… dead. I'm gone._

_I abandoned Madoka and Sayaka to a __**fate worse than death.**_

_I should've taken Homura's advice. I shouldn't have locked her up just because she seemed suspicious._

_But I didn't._

…_and I only have myself to blame for my own downfall._

_(I never even got to say goodbye, either. To Madoka, to Sayaka, to Kyubey…_

…_not even to Kyoko.)_

…

…_is… is this the fate of all Magical Girls? To drift forever in this endless void, forgotten by those you used to know? To never see another living soul as long as you stay conscious?_

_Is the consequence of every single mistake I've made while I was a Magical Girl?_

_I-If so, then… maybe I should've just died in my parents' car crash. I shouldn't have accepted Kyubey's offer, even if it meant fading into oblivion. Because—_because—

_I only ever make mistakes. I've only ever ruined others' lives—my parents included._

_**I don't deserve to be happy, after all I've done and failed at doing—**_

* * *

"_Anddddd_ here we go! Dream Rod, set up! Three, two, one—**summon away!"**

* * *

**[Mami]**

**Location:** ?

A tidal wave of light suddenly brought me out of the darkness, warm and cozy and all-around friendly. A sassy and somewhat childish voice streamed into my ears as I instinctively brought up my arms to shield my eyes—_wait, hold up, my __**arms?**_

"_Alright, gang! Here they are: our newest __**Dream Friend!**__ Give 'em a warm welcome!__"_

"_P-Please don't be another enemy, p-_please_ don't be another e-enemy—!"_

"…_hey, wait, something's not right—I don't recognize that silhouette…"_

"_Hmph… It appears I will never _not_ be fascinated by how your miracle magic chooses to act. What kind of skills does our latest ally have, I wonder…?"_

A gaggle of other voices spoke up around the same time, ranging from girly to surly to deep to incredibly upbeat. I couldn't focus on making out what they were saying though, because…

_I… I can see._

_**I can see.**_

_My head—it's—it's back. It's back on my body. _I have a body.

_That means I'm—I'm—_

…_I'm __**alive.**_

_But… how? My head was _gone._ Torn off like a—like a _cupcake._ Wh-What kind of magic—what kind of magic can __**do**__ something like this—?_

Then, my vision cleared up enough for me to check out my surroundings.

I was in this… white cathedral, of sorts. A white cathedral with light shining through every crevice and window there was—not to mention, there was also a big lamp above me spinning around and illuminating the area even further. But that wasn't what was most surprising: a crowd of beings stood before me, and they were very much as varied as their voices made them sound.

And there was only one human among them, too! (Well, she _looked_ human, at least?)

In the frontlines, there were four figures: a stubby orange guy with a blue bandana (where's his mouth? He's cute even without it, but…), a blue penguin with a regal outfit (my, that coat seems so fluffy!), a dark blue knight with some tough looking armor (and who's the same size as the orange one)…

…and finally, right in front of me, there was a little pink ball with an adorable face, staring up at me with stars shining in his eyes.

I—I've never seen such… such a unique group of people before. The most I've ever seen is Kyubey – and the Witches and their Familiars certainly don't count. I—I should be alarmed, looking for if this is a trap set by one of the latter… but that puffball's face…

It's so happy, I… I can't help but feel that it's genuine.

…_is this… truly reality…?_

"Well!" the probably-huggable plush ball said. "A new friend, huh? That's fine by me!" He stuck out a small hand to me, grinning all the while. _"Hiiiiiii~!_ I'm Kirby! **Kirby of the Stars!** I'm the friendliest friend you'll ever befriend! And how 'bout you?"

…it's only polite that I answer his question respectfully.

I smiled as best as I could. "My name is **Mami Tomoe**, Magical Girl of Mitakihara City. I admit, I don't really know what's going on—"_ or how I was even brought back in the first place_ "—but… I'll do my best to assist however I can."

* * *

**About Mami Tomoe**

Don't lose your heads—the elegant Magical Girl from _Puella Magi Madoka Magica_ is flying into the fray! Though she's had a lonely past, if you stick by her side… she won't be afraid of anything that's ahead!

* * *

**Jambastion  
Eastern Wall**

"_Take this!"_

Ribbons extended from the ground, wrapping around the various foes coming at me from the front. The purple-clad minions attempted to escape using the staffs they had on hand, but I was faster on the uptake: in just a few seconds, I had whipped out several muskets and blasted them to unconsciousness.

"Hey, that wasn't bad!" Kirby said, controlling a circle of electrified energy around him. "And here I thought Meta Knight was good with precision attacks!"

I smiled, spinning around and slapping another enemy with the length of my rifle. "Well," I replied, voice relatively upbeat, "it's not like I'm a newcomer to the realm of fighting!" I jumped away and closer to my current ally, stringing up another staff-wielder while I could. "If I wasn't able to do this, I wouldn't have survived as long as I di—have!"

"No kidding! A part of me kinda wishes _I_ could use your guns like that but, eh," he shrugged, "what can you do?"

It had taken me shockingly little time to understand what was going on.

Kirby and his entourage were dealing with a planetary invasion (yeah, I'm not even on Earth anymore!), and they were using the Dream Palaces to call on whoever they could to help out. I don't know why _I_ was called specifically, or how I was brought back from death, but… I'm not going to sit back and just watch them go.

It's my duty as a Magical Girl to assist those in need.

(Besides… it helps keep my mind off of my aching heart.)

The lone staff-wielder suddenly managed to free enough of himself to throw his staff at us in a last-ditch effort. Kirby and I dodged it easily, but it didn't take long before he was prepared to throw another one at us.

"Oh no, you don't!" In a split second, Kirby disappeared and warped to the enemy, psychic energy quickly sending the enemy into dreamland. An almost smug grin was plastered over his cheeks, his apparel disappearing into a purple star bouncing behind him. While the enemy was still well and truly dazed, he stood back and opened his mouth wide—

_The enemy's going in, he's __**sucking the enemy in—**_

An image comes to my mind, I can't stop it, _I can't stop it—_

_Its teeth are so sharp; its eyes are gazing at me with malice—_

_Why can't I move, why can't I move, this can't be it, I can't let it be it—_

_Please please __**please,**__ don't do it, __**please don't do it—**_

_I…__** I don't wanna die like this—**_

The moment he swallowed though, the staff-wielder immediately exited Kirby's body, and was promptly flung away through a quick stabbing attack from the puffball's new weapon. A red, gold-lined hat rested upon the latter's head, a blue gem perched in-between where the two gold rims met. (It was… rather fashionable, I must admit.)

My nerves relaxed upon seeing our foe inexplicably not eaten whole after all. I—I know that's a weird thought, considering he _is_ our adversary, but…

…

Smiling triumphantly, Kirby turned to look at me with his staff held high. "Ooh hoo _hoo—_a _fourth_ new Copy Ability! I've definitely hit the jackpot this adventure! Hey, Mami, how do you think I look—" A startled expression overtook his face once he caught sight of me. "H-Hey! Mami! Are you alright!? You're not looking so hot all of a sudden!"

I blinked in surprise. _I'm… not? Wh-What's on my face right now…?_

Shaking my head, I steeled myself against my sudden panic attack and smile normally. "It's—It's nothing," I said. "J-Just—Just some bad memories, that's all."

I could tell from the look on his face that I didn't quite assuage him—but he didn't push for more details, thankfully. "I'll take your word for it, for now. Right, 'nuff of that! We've still got a whole sector to get through—and I've still got a new ability to try out! C'mon!" He bounded off, gesturing for us and everyone else to follow him forwards.

"…that Witch isn't here, Mami," I told myself as we went. "It's—It's not gonna come back and… do _that_ again. There's no need to worry here…"

…but I couldn't shake the image from my mind, no matter how hard I tried.

* * *

"This feels kind of… uncomfortable."

I won't lie, I've seen a lot of bizarre things during my time as a Magical Girl.

Making a bridge formation with three of my allies goes beyond even that.

Slowly, we were descending down the poles we were hanging onto, leading this… 'Wonkee' down to a lower level with us. I wish there was another way to get this task done; it's not very nice being stepped on repeatedly.

…_I hope his feet aren't grimy._

"You might wanna get used to it," King Dedede said, somehow barely fazed. "This isn't the first time we've had to do this—and it won't be the last time."

"I—I don't mind it! T-Too much, anyway!" Bandana Dee interjected. "It's—It's not the w-worst thing that's ever happened! You wouldn't believe the stuff we've seen…!"

That makes me curious… "How long have you people been fighting for, anyway?" I asked. It has to be for quite some time—they're too coordinated not to be.

"For most of us, it depends," Kirby replied. "I don't _usually_ have all of my friends join me on semi-annual major adventures. But if it helps, I've been protecting Pop Star for a little over **twenty-five years!**"

"T-T-T-_Twenty-five __**years…!?"**_

That's—That's ten years longer than I've been _alive!_

(Is that youthful appearance really just for show…!?)

"Yep! That's _riiiiiiight~!"_ he sang. "Like Dee implied, this definitely ain't our first rodeo!"

"Y-Yeah! It's Great King's third time, actually!" Bandana Dee chimed in. "A-And my fifth! And Kirby's eighteenth! …a-at least, I _think_ it's his eighteenth…"

I knew they couldn't see it, but I was gaping in outright disbelief.

We reached the bottom of this pit not too long after, the Wonkee mercifully hopping off us and… opening a door, I think. As we went through the newly-entered area (and started climbing a nearby ladder), my expression soon turned into one of barely-hidden pain.

"Wow…" I muttered. "And here I thought two years was a long time…" I cast another look at the trio accompanying me. They seemed perfectly in their element, their casual stances betraying the amount of experience I now knew they had on hand.

…how could they endure events like this, and still come out okay?

_(And why is it that I'm the only one who's alone…?)_

"Two years, huh?" King Dedede picked up, a frown now perched on his penguin-esque face. "Is that how long you've been doing your thing, Mami?"

"That's right," I replied, us returning to solid ground. "I've been a Magical Girl for a little over two years now. Fighting Witches, saving people, protecting Mitakihara—that's been my duty for the longest time. Just like you three have made protecting Pop Star's your duty."

Bandana Dee scratched the back of his head. "Th-That's one way to put it, I guess…!"

"…that's not the end of the story, I suspect," Kirby said. "You… You haven't had a companion by your side in a while, I'll bet."

"…no. No, I haven't."

_Not since Kyoko._

"I… I thought I might've had a chance, not too long ago, but then I… I… I…"

"…you failed," King Dedede finished for me, with a grimace. "And then… you died."

I couldn't bring myself to speak, so I just nodded.

"Th-That's harsh…!" Bandana Dee whispered.

"But… I guess that's the way things were always meant to be," I lamented. "Me, eternally alone, fighting through my own loneliness. And after this is all over… I know that won't change."

A brief silence passed over us, as I wallowed in my formerly bottled-up grief.

"…hey, it doesn't have to be like that anymore," Kirby finally stated, smiling warmly. "We're here now, and we're certainly not gonna go anywhere."

"But… something can always happen to you, or to me," I said. "How can you be so sure that things will turn out the way you think…?"

"Easy!" King Dedede twirled his hammer. "I'll just run up to whatever's bothering you and give 'em a good smack – me and Dee here!"

"Y-Yeah!" Bandana Dee agreed. "I mean, we're—we're friends now! And friends don't let their friends suffer if they can help it!" Suddenly, he jolted, something ahead of us catching his eye. "S-So—why don't we celebrate our new friendship b-by hitting that **Big Switch**? I—I think it's the perfect thing to do!"

Indeed, there was a… very large red button in front of us, sitting atop a lavishly decorated golden base. It was certainly large enough to accommodate the weight of all four of us.

"Ooh, good eye, Dee!" Kirby said. He turned to me. "Well, whaddya say, Mami? Ready to take the first step to a new frontier?"

I… I didn't quite know how to respond for a moment. But… somehow, I knew I couldn't refuse his request.

"…okay. Let's do it."

"Alrighty then! On my mark, guys: three, two, one—and _jump!"_

**_CLICK!_**

* * *

Unsurprisingly, my battle prowess didn't come without its fair share of admirers.

"You're so cool, Mami!" Ribbon cheered, the fairy fluttering around me excitedly. "I've never seen anyone fight the way that you do!"

"I'm not that cool," I downplayed. "If anything, I should be the one calling you people that—I may be a veteran Magical Girl, but I can't hope to compare to your level of teamwork." _Especially since I've always been alone._

"Even so, it's still impressive how well you can fight—I'd say you're on the level of Marx, or maybe even Dee!" Adeleine said, twirling her paintbrush around with a flourish. "I wonder what it's like, being able to do what you can."

Kirby bounded in, using his staff like a pogo stick as if he hadn't just learnt how to use it ten minutes ago. "Hey, I'm curious too!" he chimed in, dropping to the ground and perching his weapon behind his back. "You mentioned a little bit about the whole Magical Girl stint, but not everything. What's that all about, anyway?"

My smile became more somber, memories of the past two years trickling into my mind. "…a Magical Girl is born when one wishes for a miracle to occur," I began to explain. "In exchange, Kyubey—the one who gives us our powers—contracts us to fight Witches, evil creatures that are born from curses."

I idly reached out to the hairpin in my hair, where I knew my Soul Gem was located—but oddly enough, as I fingered it, I didn't feel its brooch form there. That's where it should be while I'm transformed—so why…?

I stretched out my hand, trying to summon it in its normal form instead. It didn't work.

Now this was getting odd.

"That's strange," I muttered aloud. "My **Soul Gem** isn't in its usual place."

Adeleine and Ribbon tilted their heads. "Your… Soul Gem?" they asked simultaneously.

I nodded. "It's the source of my magical power; the proof of my existence as a Magical Girl. Normally, it's either stays as a ring on my hand or becomes part of an accessory—" I pointed to my hairpin "—like the one I'm wearing right now. The fact that I can't summon it _should_ mean I'm not a Magical Girl anymore, and yet…"

Kirby frowned, though from what part of my statements, I couldn't tell. "If I were to guess, that's probably thanks to the magic of the Dream Palaces," he replied. "As far as I can tell, it brings people back as their **best self**—with a heck of a lot more stamina, not to mention far less drawbacks to their skillset. Was there anything your Soul Gem did that could explain things?"

"Hmm…" I put a finger to my chin as I recalled the details of what having a Soul Gem entailed. "While having a Soul Gem gives you extraordinary power, there's a limit to how much you can use. Overusing your magic means your Soul Gem darkens, reducing the amount of it you can use in combat. The only way to replenish it is to obtain Grief Seeds, which you get from defeating Witches. I've gotten good at balancing out the outtake in relation to my own abilities, but… it's not exactly perfect."

"That sounds horrible," Adeleine shouted. "No offense to that Kyubey guy, but… it doesn't seem like he's got a very good system here!"

"I'm sure that he had his reasons for making it that way," I tried to defend my friend. "If he could make it better, I know he would've done so."

Kirby breathed in and out. "Well, either way," he concluded, his grin returning to him, "at least you don't have to worry about that issue anymore! So long as you don't exhaust yourself mid-battle, you can blast foes away to your heart's content!"

"Just make sure to save some for us!" Ribbon exclaimed, pumping her fist into the air. "Just 'cause you're amazing at fighting doesn't mean Addie and I are gonna slack off!"

"That's right!" Adeleine affirmed. "We're gonna paint so many masterpieces, you and me and Ribbon and everyone else! We can do anything when we combine our powers—just you watch, Mami!"

…_they're too kind. Too kind for someone like me._

I composed myself as best I could. "You're pretty enthusiastic, you three," I weakly chuckled. "If you'll really have me, then… I'll do my best to live up to your expectations."

"That's the spirit!" Kirby happily said.

* * *

**Sector A – Entrance**

"I hope Kirby will be back soon…"

Right as we finished making our way through this palace's eastern wall, our leader had decided to take a brief trip back to the Dream Palace from earlier. _'I've got the feeling another Dream Friend's on the horizon,'_ he had said. _'Don't worry, everybody—I'll be back before you know it!'_

So part of our current squad was out to summon another friend of theirs, while the rest of us took a break and waited for them to return. Normally, I wouldn't mind having such a reprieve… but I couldn't help but feel that something was about to happen. Something I couldn't let my guard down for.

If it was an enemy, I was reasonably confident we as a group could take care of it. Somehow, though, I knew… that that's not what this is about.

"Nervous, are you?" Daroach noted, tapping his foot calmly against the floor. "I'm not surprised. Experienced though you may be, it's not easy to adapt to relatively new situations like this."

"That's part of it, yes, but…" I struggled to put things into words. "Do you get the feeling that you're about to be surprised? Like, more so than you've already been? Because… that's what's going through my mind right now."

The self-proclaimed thief put a claw to his chin as he pondered, "How curious. I presume that this new variable is approaching us at a quick pace?"

"Yeah, actually," I said. "It's odd—it feels familiar, if a bit different. A little hostile, but at the same time… it isn't an enemy. I don't know what to think of it."

"Either way, no matter what happens, I believe we need only go with the flow," he concluded. "Our 'ragtag bunch of misfits', as Dedede would likely refer to us, is used to unexpected surprises. If we weren't able to," he laughed, "I suspect we wouldn't have lasted as long as we have—"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move.

Daroach paused as he spoke—he must've noticed it too.

"_Hold it!"_

"_Regale!"_

Immediately, we jumped into action: the red-fashioned mouse brought out his cane and fired a blast of ice, disorienting our target. Simultaneously, I tied them up using my signature collage of ribbons, making sure to leave no room for escape. The remainder of our available allies noticed this exchange, and they didn't hesitate to point their respective weapons straight at the interloper.

"Trying to pull a fast one on us?" Daroach asked with a smirk. "Nice try, but we won't fall for the likes of that."

"_Ugh, you—! Let me go! What the hell's your problem!?"_

I froze. I knew that voice.

_H-How…? How is this __**possible…?**_

"My my, what a foul mouth," the thief remarked. "Not even Dark Meta Knight is so crass as to curse so flippantly."

"Yeah, well, I'll do as I like and you sure as shit can't stop me! Why are you people just standing around here, anyway!? You acting as scouts for the enemy or something!?"

…_it's her. It's really her._

_The Pocky in her mouth, that abrasive front, the black bow in her hair…_

_She's… exactly as I remember._

"I assure you, we are doing no such act. We are merely waiting for some allies of ours to finish their little mission. In fact, we are firmly against whatever forces are inhabiting this fortress."

"As if! I'm not gonna be taken in by _that_ lameass story! You better hurry and answer my questions: what the hell is this place, and where is Sayaka Miki!? 'Cause I'm just about ready to _break outta here and __**pound you into the dirt—!"**_

I interrupted them. "K-Kyoko?"

The conversation stopped.

Slowly, the red-haired girl turned to look at me, crimson eyes as wide as mine.

For several moments, we just stood there and stared at each other, our current circumstances almost entirely forgotten.

My voice refused to work. My mouth could only open and close repeatedly as my mind found itself unable to articulate anything; anything at all.

…what could I say?

What could I say to someone I haven't seen in so long…?

Finally, Kyoko managed to choke out a response.

"M-Mami?"

* * *

**I was intending on having this second chapter be a continuation of the last, but then I got Ideas™ about the other Magical Girls' time with the Star Allies, and so, here we are. I'll try to keep things as relatively short as I can (3k-ish words would be preferable), but no guarantees.**

**For a girl as lonely as Mami, I imagine Kirby's verse would be the perfect place for her: our favorite puffball's always up for making new friends whenever and wherever. There's still some lingering trauma that'll never entirely dissipate, sure (it'd be hard to forget the sensation of **_**literally getting your **__**head**__** bitten off),**_** but she's automatically a lot better than she would be otherwise.**

**I headcanon the Dream Palaces as being able to bring back a soul as A) complete and B) where they rightfully belong. This is why Mami doesn't have her Soul Gem anymore – her soul being right out in the open and susceptible to corruption is… a bad thing, to say the least. (Soul Bosses, anyone?) I imagine the miracle magic of the Dream Palaces would be right up on fixing that ASAP.**

**As for why she still has her Magical Girl powers… Dream Friends are weird. Just chalk it up to that.**

**They're also OP as heck; she'd be out-of-place otherwise.**

**Speaking of Dream Friends, you're not gonna be seeing a whole lot of the Star Allies in this fic, unfortunately—I want to keep this primarily focused on just the Magical Girls, plus Kirby as a linking factor. They'll get a few lines here and there, and maybe a couple of scenes, but don't expect too much now.**

**Well, that's all for now – next time, it's Kyoko's time to shine! See you guys then! ****(She and Mami are long overdue for a reconciliation, anyway…)**


End file.
